Flue-cleaner.



No. 844,928. PATENTED-FEB. 19, 1907.

. G. C. FRENCH.

FLUE CLEANER. APPLIOATIONPILED SEPT. 10,1906.

WITNESSES INVENTOI? Gear 6 6115 622 6 %?7 M ATTORNEYS GEORGE CARTER 'rnnNen or enreAeo, ILLINOIS.

FLU E-CL EA'NER Specification of LettersPatent.

Batented Feb. 19, 1,997;

. Application filed September 10,1906. SerialjNa-SBSS'ZO.

T0 00% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IGEORGE CARTER FRENCH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Flue-Cleaner, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to flue-cleaners, and has for its object to provide means adapted to readily and completely loosen and remove soot and scale from the inside of a boilertube without becoming clogged, and consequently rendered more of less inoperative. This I accomplish by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which drawings like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the views, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a flue-cleaner embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is an end view of the device shown in Fig. 1.

As illustrated in the drawings, 1 represents a central bar provided on its forward end with a coupling 2, adapted to be secured to a handle or extension-rod. A scraper 3 is mounted upon the bar 1 and consists of a double coil of resilient material, preferably formed of a single strand of wire, provided midway of its length with an eye 3, which engages the bar 1. The ends of the coil are provided with eyes 3 which engage the threaded end 1 of the bar 1. The ends of the scraper 3 are secured in place on the threaded end of the central bar by means of nuts 5, having a threaded engagement with the end of the bar 1 to permit the ends of the scraper to' be adjusted longitudinally of the central bar, thereby regulating the diameter of the coils of the scraper to a limited extent.

The central eye 23 of the scraper is held on the central bar 1 between washers 4, which are secured in place on the central bar by means of spring keys or pins 6, which pass through the bar 1 and bear against the sides of said washers. The eye 3 of the scraper is preferably made slightly larger in diameter than the central bar, so as to permit that end of the scraper to move laterally to a limited extent independently of said bar. The coil 3 forming the scraper may be made of uniform diameter; but the central portion of the coil is preferably made somewhat larger in diameter than the remainder of the coil.

By.meansofsuchconstructionthe:ends 3 ofthescraper :extend directly outward from the central bar 1, thereby forming free open ends on the scraper. A follower 7 is rigidly secured to the central bar 1 apart from the scraper and is provided with rods 8, which extend fromthe edge of the follower 7 to the central bar 1 and serve as braces to hold the follower in position and also as guide-rods to enable the scraper to be brought back into the end of the boiler-tube after it has been pushed through said tube. Recesses 7 are formed in the edge of the follower 7, adapted to receive the rods 8, so that said rods may not extend beyond the periphery of the follower. The rear ends 8" of the rods 8 are also preferably inclined to the central bar- 1 and secured thereto. The rods 8 and 8 are secured to the central bar 1 in any suitable manner, preferably by means of eyes 8 and 8, formed integral with said rods and connected to said bar.

When the device is in use, the scraper is inserted in the end of the boiler-tube and thrust through the interior of the tube, thereby loosening from the tube the scale and soot which are forced out of the farther end of the tube by the follower 7. The ends of the scraper being free from obstructions of any kind cannot become clogged with soot or scale to any extent, and the cleaner is therefore adapted to be operated continuously and effectively.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A flue-cleaner comprising a central bar, and a scraper mounted upon said bar, comprising a double spiral spring having coils of substantially uniform diameter and provided with eyes formed integral w1th said spring adapted to engage said bar, substantially as shown and described.

2. A flue-cleaner, comprising a central bar, and a double spring mounted on said bar and provided with a central eye formed integral therewith, movable laterally to a limited extent on the said bar, and with offset ends having eyes formed thereon and adjustably secured to said bar, substantially as shown and described.

3. A flue-cleaner comprising a central bar, a spiral spring mounted on said bar and provided with open ends, and a follower rigidly secured to said bar and provided with guiderods extending from the edge of said follower to said bar, substantially as shown and described.

4. A flue-cleaner comprising a central bar, a spiral spring mounted upon said bar and provided with open ends, a follower rigidly secured to said bar, and guide-rods extending from the edge of said follower and secured to said bar on opposite sides of said follower, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination with a central bar, of a spiral cleaner mounted on said bar and ad justably secured thereto at one end, a follower mounted upon said bar apart from said spring, and guide-rods extendlng from the edge of said follower to said bar, substan- 5 GEORGE CARTER FRENCH.

Witnesses:

EVA L. FRENCH, 001m A. SHAW. 

